I still remember how I felt when I heard the news that Walt Disney World was closing due to the Coronavirus. Sure, the parks had closed a handful of other times due to hurricanes in the area and after September 11, 2001. But having them close on March 15, 2020 with no end in sight, was a scary thing. Our kids had just been told they would be distance learning for a while. We couldn’t visit with friends and family in person. I was having to contact so many clients and either cancel or re-book their vacations. It was such a dark time.
Thankfully, Walt Disney World reopened in July 2020…while Disneyland remained closed until the end of April 2021. Disney Cruise Line has yet to begin sailing again.
When Walt Disney World reopened after 4 months of being closed, MUCH was different. I knew that I would be able to find all sorts of information on line about how the parks would be operating, but I also wanted to experience the changes first hand. That way, I could pass on information & my personal experiences on to clients.
So, my husband & I decided to surprise our kids with a Walt Disney World “mini trip” to kick off Christmas Break. We booked 3 nights at POP Century. We booked cheap flights on Southwest Airlines. And, we didn’t tell the kids until the night before we left. We usually involve them heavily in the planning process, so it literally took about 15 minutes for them to believe us. Then, the excitement level was through the roof.
My sister & I also planned another research trip in January 2021…during EPCOT’S Festival of the Arts!
We knew going into these trips that face coverings were going to be required everywhere outside of our resort room. The two exceptions at that time were: eating or drinking while stationary AND in a designated relaxation zone. I was ok with this, because as often as we go…I figured we could all handle it & it would make for great memories during this crazy time in history!
- NOTE: They also now allow you to remove your face covering briefly while taking an outdoor photo…as long as you are socially distant from other parties & are stationary. AND, the BIG news since my two trips?!? Effective May 15, 2021…face masks are now OPTIONAL outdoors at Walt Disney World. They are still required indoors at restaurants, transportation, shops, attractions, resorts, and in the queues for attractions. I’m so excited to see more smiles now!
DISNEY’S MAGICAL EXPRESS
The first very noticeable change for our family was when we arrived at Orlando International Airport (MCO). We always fly & always use Disney’s Magical Express. Because of Covid, we had to collect our luggage from baggage claim before heading to the Magical Express line. In the past, Disney would pick it up…and after dropping it off at our home airport, it would magically show up in our resort room. Such a nice perk! In December, we had to wait for our checked bags & then walk across the airport terminal to head over to Magical Express. It wasn’t the end of the world, just a noticeable change, as we haven’t done that in years!
- NOTE: Since our December 2020 trip, Disney has announced that the complimentary Magical Express service will be ending on December 31, 2021. This makes me very sad, as my family ALWAYS preferred to use this over any other mode of transportation. I think my transportation of choice in 2022 and beyond will be private transfers! No lines = a much faster arrival at the resort!
Once we made our way to Magical Express, there was quite a long looking line to check in. Because everyone was following the 6 foot distance rule, that made it seem longer than it actually was. We didn’t wait too terribly long to be told what line to go to for our resort. Once on board the Magical Express bus, the driver told us what numbered seat to go to, as they were keeping rows around other parties open. It was quite nice to not be crammed in there!
RESORT ROOMS
Disney has been offering Online Check-in far before Covid-10, but now they are recommending using it. Guests are still able to check in at the front desk of their resort. However, if you complete Online Check-in via your MyDisneyExperience, you will get a text and e-mail with your resort room number and resort map once it is ready. We often get these texts before we land in Orlando, or while on the Magical Express.
Currently, you can request that Mousekeeping does NOT clean your room during your stay, or they will come every other day for LIGHT cleaning. When we walked into our room at Disney’s Pop Century Resort, it definitely felt clean & they had a few extra notes around the room that showed what they paid extra attention to.
I have ALWAYS been the type to bring Clorox wipes with me when I traveled, so while I brought them this time…I didn’t actually feel the need to use them. That showed me just how good of a job they are doing & how they are focusing on keeping the standard high since reopening. I appreciated this very much!
DISNEY TRANSPORTATION
When I travel to the Walt Disney World Resort, I LOVE staying in the Disney “bubble” for many reasons. Sure, right now…now ALL of the perks are there (I’m looking at you Disney Dining Plan), but I will always prefer to stay on property. The main reason is Disney Transportation. I enjoy using as many forms of the complimentary Disney transportation as possible. From buses to the monorail. From boats to the NEW Disney Skyliner!
On my last two visits, ALL modes of Disney transportation were limiting the amount of guests in each “vehicle” in some way. There were some empty seats & plexiglas dividers on the Disney buses. It was lovely having the extra room on the buses, and not HAVING to stand. It was also fun always having our own gondola.
I’m not sure how long these physical distancing measures will be around, but if you are blessed to travel right now…ENJOY while you can!
HEALTH REMINDERS AT THE THEME PARKS
The parks haven’t even been reopened for a year yet, and things have changes so much. The parks reopened at 25% capacity, then was raised to 35% capacity, and it sounds like they have raised it again…although a number hasn’t been given at the time I am writing this.
When they reopened, temperature taking was a HUGE part of the process. On both of my trips, our temperature was taking before entering the parks. However, that has ended! Some of the tents remain in place, so we’ll see what happens with those in the future.
Another nice thing to see in the parks & at the resorts was hand sanitizer. I always brought my own anyway, but I made sure our family always used it before and after attractions. There were also hand washing stations located around the parks, and they were so handy to actually WASH your hands with soap. I’ve heard that those have been removed, and I’m kind of sad about that.
Everywhere you go in the parks, there are signs reminding you of the health & safety measures they are taking. They range from “remember to keep physical distance between you & other guests,” to keep your face covering on. The wording of these will continue to change as they take more steps towards normalcy at the parks.
As you prepare for your next visit to Walt Disney World, please remember to visit the “KNOW BEFORE YOU GO” section of their website. As they make changes, they will be noted here. It’s always good to know about any updates.
And, please be kind to cast members! They are just doing their jobs. If you aren’t comfortable with some of the reopening policies, then you should most definitely postpone going until you are able to follow them all.
WHERE WILL YOU SEE CHARACTERS?
As of right now, there are still NO personal character meetings, with hugs & autographs. I thought that would be a huge bummer for my kids in December. They did miss giving hugs, but they were thrilled to see SO many characters at random times & in fun ways. We were always the type of family who LOVED those character greetings & we would choose to wait in line to say hello to them on every trip. But, the character cavalcades that they are doing currently are VERY fun! Each of the fours parks have a few places where characters will pop up, as well as “cavalcades!” There are a few character meals that have reopened with “modified” greetings from a far. It’s only a matter of time before we can hug our favorite Disney pals again!
WHAT’S STILL MISSING???
Not everything has reopened at Walt Disney World yet. There are many restaurants and snack locations that remain closed for now. And, the restaurants that ARE open, aren’t at full capacity. For that reason, the Disney Dining Plan has not returned just yet. The Disney Dining Plan was such a convenient component of vacation packages, so I hope it returns soon!
You can still dine anywhere that is open, but you would just pay out of pocket. And, many require reservations & with the reduced capacity, it’s harder than ever to grab something. But, that’s something I always try to do for my clients!
Another convenient way of ordering food while at Walt Disney World is MOBILE ORDERING. Many quick service locations are actually requiring this. Using the MyDisneyExperience app on your mobile device…you will choose your dining time, location, and food items. Once you are at or almost at the restaurant, you will select “I’m Here! Prepare my order” on the app. It saves waiting in line at the busy restaurants, and you can plan head for when you think you would like to eat. Some of these orders are even served in to-go containers, like these:
WILL FAST PASSES EVER RETURN?
The other fan favorite that is currently still missing is the Fast Pass. Many people miss this perk of a Disney trip. But, I’ll be honest…I’ve enjoyed both of our visits since the reopening so much! I feel like the laid back pace of not having to rush to a Fast Pass return time has been wonderful. And, the regular lines seem to constantly move because of it. Yes, it helped you to have shorter wait times on a few attractions. But, even with the crowd capacity being raised…I still hear positive feedback from my clients when they return from their trips. They sometimes have a few attractions where they wait a bit longer, but never horrible. We’ll see what Disney announces in the future on this.
In the mean time…enjoy yourself when you go back! Every trip will be something different from your last & something different from any future trips! Relax! Go with the flow! And take in all the “magic!”
Lisa loves ALL things Disney 